Behind The Seens
by Nanashi Jones
Summary: Korra and Katara meet again, but not how you'd expect.


Amon leaned in close. Korra could smell his breath as it hissed through the mask.****

**"**Then... You'll get your duel. And I _will_destroy you."****

He rose, his hand shooting down and Korra felt the move, felt the pop of muscles and her whole being curled inward as she collapsed.****

**"**Aaaaand- cut!"****

The sharp ring of an alarm went out and Korra opened her eyes. Groaning, she rolled to her back, where Amon offered a hand.****

**"**Thanks," she replied as he helped her up.****

**"**No problem," he said. Pausing, his eyes canted to concern under the mask. "Did it hurt too bad? I went for a drop touch. Just something-"****

**"**I'm good, Amon. Well, you're good, so thanks." Korra rotated her shoulder easing out the soft spot where he'd struck. "See? Good."****

He nodded, moving to remove the mask away from the cameras and breathe normally for a minute or two. Chi-blockers were already unzipping hoods and fanning their faces, grips and gaffers rushing up to give water. Korra smiled and waved away Casey, the eager young thing Nickelodeon had attached to her hip.****

**"**All right people, reset lighting and background for Tenzin's arrival!" Joaquim Dos Santos turned to Korra. "Ten, fifteen tops and we'll start."****

Korra nodded, watching as Ki Hyun Ryu and a team of Korean animators moved forward to do their amazing things with the backdrop and lighting. She then started to go to her chair, but her stomach growled, so she wheeled to the craft services table instead.****

She knew she was lucky. The first cast had a decent enough snack bar and doughnuts, but since she was headlining and Nick was throwing serious cash at them, they got sandwiches.****

**"**Delicious, delicious ham sandwiches," Korra whispered grabbing one. She chewed, eyes closed in delight and she spun on her heel and bumped into a solid person.****

**"**Owmph!" Korra muttered, her arm going out. Another arm caught her just as fast and after a brief weight judge, the pair of bodies balanced and righted. Korra swallowed.****

**"**Sorry about that I-" She had to look around, then glanced down, seeing a dark-brown girl with friendly blue eyes in a navy-blue hoodie with an orange and brown Avatar logo on the breast. When Korra noticed that her hair was in loops, she was glad she swallowed- she'd have dropped the sandwich from her mouth otherwise.****

**"**No, I'm sorry I-"****

**"**You're Katara!" Korra said, pointing in disbelief.**  
****  
**Katara, former member of the ensemble leads from _Avatar: The Last Airbender_smiled up. "Yeah, that's me," her voice coming guarded, but only just.****

**"**Sorry." Korra wiped her hand on her pants and stuck it out more earnestly than she intended. "Korra. New Avatar for the new show."****

Katara's eyes lit up. "Oh! Oh yeah! Hey. I should've recognized **you**!" She laughed.****

**"**It's... Okay. You kinda got a bad view."****

The pair laughed. Katara relaxed, easing her hands into her hoodie's pockets while Korra patted around her, trying not to fall into her default hands on hips posture.****

**"**Soooo, uh, what brings you to the set?" Korra's gaze kept sliding off the other girl.****

**"**Just doing graphic novel stuff for the post-season. Plus, they wanted me to do some posing next to Master Katara. How you liking the new show?"****

**"**The show? Fine, it's fine. I'm fine. It's all, uh, fine." Korra rubbed the back of her head. "Pretty big deal really. I mean, I know I have Mako and Bolin and we just got Asami on set, but... My name's up on top, so uh..."****

**"**Intimidated?" Katara nudged her conspiratorially.****

**"**Maybe?" Korra said to the ceiling.****

Katara lay a comforting hand on the larger girl's shoulder. "It's okay. Aang went through the same thing." She paused, her other hand coming to chin in thought. "Well, maybe not the same, same. He had more trouble with the emotional scenes than the interviews."****

Korra chuckled. "He seems the type."****

Eyes rolling, Katara leaned in. "You have no idea. We had to do this one scene where we're having a moment because the fake play stewed up all these emotions and he kept cracking up!" Katara shook her head, her hair lilting back and forth. "It took forever! And Sokka kept making faces behind the camera..." She exhaled, looking off and remembering. "I swear, I was about to bend them both back to the green room." She laughed, familiar.****

**"**But hey, this is your big chance now. The fans are really excited. You got more fanart than Toph did after she debuted. Not bad."****

**"**Uh, yeah," Korra blushed, rubbing the back of her head.****

**"**Korra?" came Casey's voice.****

Korra turned to the mousey girl, who adjusted her glasses as she came up. "They just finished setting up. You're needed."****

**"**Okay," Korra said. She glanced at Katara. "Three minutes?"****

Casey arched an eyebrow. "See you in two."****

Korra nodded and Casey went off to let Joaquim know.****

Turning back to Katara, Korra sighed. "Well, gotta do my thing," she said.****

**"**Good luck out there," Katara said, grinning.****

Korra took a step back to leave, nodding, then froze. "No, you know what..." Katara was caught mid-move away herself when Korra reversed her footing and placed a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder. The pair's eyes met and Korra's smile was new- something proud and eager and more delighted than her gruff exterior. "Thank you," she told Katara.****

The younger waterbender cocked her head to the side. "Um, for what?"****

Korra exhaled, looking for words that came about as naturally as airbending was on the show. "For being you. For being strong, for fighting when you needed to, for being all hopeful and kick-ass and really complicated and all that. I mean, all the other girls- Toph, Suki, Azula, Ty Lee, Mai I owe some to them too, but you, you were at the beginning. And you went all the way through" Korra somehow managed to smile wider, her eyes going glassy as they filled slightly. "You made it possible for me and... I can't thank you enough."****

Katara placed a hand over the larger Avatar's and the warmth she felt from fans who thanked her like this bubbled up, plastering a smile on her face. "You're very welcome," she replied softly.****

**"**Korra!" came the second director's shout.****

**"**Coming!" the star yelled, barely turning her head.****

**"**Go get 'em," Katara said. "You got a world to save." She nodded at the set, re-lit for the same scene but with the subtlest bit of warmth and welcome for Tenzin's arrival.****

**"**Every Saturday at eleven," Korra replied twirling her finger in the air.****

**"**Seriously, you better get moving," she removed her hand from Korra's to motion to the waiting team. "Everyone's working really hard and you gotta live up to that."****

Korra pulled away, and again paused, this time just out of reach. "I feel like I should give you my number or something."****

Katara laughed again. "Let's leave that to the slash writers."****

Finally releasing, Korra backpedaled and waved again. "I'll try to do you proud!"****

**"**Do yourself proud!" Katara shot back.****

As Korra jogged back to her spot on set, Katara shook her head and went to the other studio where the old Gaang was getting together one last time. "Kids these days," she said with a smile.


End file.
